(1) Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a removable aircraft step, and to an aircraft including such a step.
The invention thus lies in the field of techniques for providing aircraft with steps.
(2) Description of Related Art
Conventionally, an aircraft comprises a fuselage extending longitudinally from a front end towards a rear end on either side of an anteroposterior plane of symmetry, and extending in a vertical direction from a bottom having a landing gear towards a top.
A rotorcraft also includes at least one main rotor for providing lift and propulsion. In order to drive rotation of the main rotor, a rotorcraft may have a main gearbox driven by at least one engine resting on a floor referred to a “transmission support platform”.
When performing maintenance operations, an operator may need to have access to zones of the aircraft that are not accessible from the ground, e.g. to the members that are present on the transmission support platform in a high portion of the aircraft.
In order to give safe access to such zones, a manufacturer may use a maintenance ladder. Although practical, a maintenance ladder is found to be heavy and bulky. Such a maintenance ladder may then be difficult to store on board a rotorcraft of small dimensions.
As an alternative, or in addition, an aircraft may include steps that are secured in permanent manner on the fuselage. The steps thus project from the fuselage. Such steps are advantageous but ugly and expensive, and they can even give rise to penalizing aerodynamic drag.
The steps may optionally be masked by being hinged to the fuselage, for example. Thus, a pivotally mounted tread may mask an orifice. An operator can then pivot the treads in order to stand both on them and on the orifices. Nevertheless it can be difficult to locate such steps.
The technical background includes the following Documents: EP 2 386 484, and U.S. Pat. No. 2,158,949.
Document EP 2 386 484 proposes a step incorporated on the fuselage of a helicopter. The step comprises a housing incorporated in the flank of the fuselage and a tread that is pivotally mounted in the housing.
Document U.S. Pat. No. 2,158,949 also proposes a pivotally mounted tread that is permanently mounted on a fuselage.
Technical fields that are remote from the invention include the following Documents: EP 1 888 870, and WO 03/100204.
Document EP 1 888 870 describes a ladder.
Document WO 03/100204 describes a device for fastening a ladder to a facade.
Also known is Document FR 1 119 246.